Brake-beam fulcrum.



No. 81 4,865.- PATBNTED MAR. 13, 1906.

.J. W. MoGEE. BRAKE BEAM PULGRUM. urupmmn 11.21: APR. 15, 1905.

JAMES W. MoGEE, or BESSEMER, ALABAMA, AssieNoR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM F. HANBY OF BESSEMER, ALABAMA. I I BRAKE-BEAM FULCRUML To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES W. MCGEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bessemer, in the county ofJefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake-Beam Fulcrums, of which the following'is a specification.

cars are ordinarily provided with right and left lever fulcrums. Heretofore the fulcrums for the brake-levers carried by the beams have been of a structure designed to support a lever inclined in one direction only,

and under some conditions it often gives rise to lnconvenience and delay when a suitable right or left fulcrum is not handy to be 1ojlnickly applied in case of breakage .or the This invention consists of a fulcrum of peculiar construction, which is designed to support a lever inclined in either direction, or, in

upper fulcrum member.

other words, the invention consists of a double or right and left fulcrum admitting of mounting a lever inclined in either direction, as necessary.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of .the means for efiecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a brake-beam partially broken away having a fulcrum embodying the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2-is a front elevation of the fulcrum. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lower fulcrum member.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The fulcrum comprising this invention is designed to be ap lied to the" ordinary construction of meta brake-beam of somewhat T formation in cross-section; and it consists, preferably, of a bracket or support composed of upper and lower members. Theupper member consists of a plate 1, apertured, as shown at 2, to receive a bolt or fastening 3.

The plate 1 is formed at one end with an up- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. April 18, 1905- Serial No. 256,204.-

ratenteol March 13, 1906.

beam 6. Projecting from'the outer side of lugs will incline either to the right or to the As is well known brake-beams of railroadleft in common arlance. N ear-the points of juncture of the ugs 7 with the jaw 4 said lugs are connected by a web 10, having a vertical opening 12 to receive a fastening-bolt or like member 13. The lower member of the fulcrum bracket or support likewise consists of the plate 1*, having an aperture 2 the ape r' ture 2 being arranged beneath the beam 6 and the plate 1 above the same when the parts are in operative positions. The fastening member 3 will pass vertically through the beam 6 and the apertures 2 and 2 of the plates aforesaid in securing the latter to the beam. The lower plate 1 has a' complemental jaw 4 to receive a downward flange 5? of the beam 6. Pivot-lugs 7 a and 8 project from the outer side of the jaw 4 of the lower member of the fulcrum, said lugs 7 and 8*, however, being connected at their upper longitudinal edges, as shown at 14,-so that they-mutually brace each other. The lu s 7* and 8 of the lower memberof the .fu crum incline in substantially the same manner as described with reference to the lugs 7 and 8, and when the lower member is in proper position with respect to the upper member the lugs 7 and 7 are arranged approximately parallel, the lugs 8 and 8 havin substantlally the same disposition. It

wi 1 be seen, therefore, that the fulcrum embodies two sets of pivot-lugs for a brake-lever, one set consisting of the lugs 7 and 7" at one side of the fulcrumand the other set consisting of the lugs 8 and 8* at theopposite side of the'fulcrum. Aperturesl) are provided in the lugs 7 and 8 to receive the pivot of the brake-lever, (not shown,) and it will be apparent that the brake-lever may be inclined to the right or to the left when carried by the fulcrum-bracket hereinbefore described, in

one instance being. pivotally mounted between the lugs 7 and 7 and in the other instance being pivotally mounted between the lugs Sand 8*. I a

The upper portion of the outer side of the jaw 4 is received in a cut-away or recessed portion 15, extending from the lower edge of the outer side of the j aw 4 of the upper member of the device, this construction affording an interlocking connection between the upper and lower members of the fulcrum, rigidly holding said members from lateral plate or movement, which would be of obvious disadvantage. An enlargement 16, near the inner extremities of the lugs 7 and 8 and approximately where said lugs have integral connection, is formed with a vertical opening 12", through which the fastening bolt 13 passes. The upper and lower members of the fulcrum are therefore rigidly attached together at opposite sides of the jaws 4 and 4, the above increasing the compactness and rigidity of the device materially. The uppermost jaw 4 is quite a little wider than the lower jaw 4 and the lugs 7 and 8 are spaced transversely in order that the brakelever carried by the beam may project upwardly from the fulcrum in the customary manner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In combination, a brake-beam and a fulcrum therefor composed of upper and lower members, means for securing said members to the brake-beam, and a plurality of cooperating pivot-lugs projected from each member of the fulcrum.

2. In combination, a brake-beam and a fulcrum therefor composed of upper and lower members, means for securing said members to the brake-beam, and a plurality of oppositely-inclined pivot-lugs projected from each of said members.

3. In combination, a brake-beam and a fulcrum therefor composed of upper and lower members, means for securing said members to the brake-beam, and a plurality of oppositely-inclined pivot-lugs projected from each of said members, the lugs of the upper member being spaced.

4. In combination, a brake-beam and a fulcrum therefor composed of upper and lower members, means for securing said members to the brake-beam, and a plurality of oppositely-inclined pivot-lugs projected from each of said members, the lugs of the upper member being spaced, the lugs of the lower member being connected.

5. In combination, a brake-beam and a fulcrum therefor composed of upper and lower members, means for securing said members to the brake-beam, and a plurality of oppositely-inclined pivot-lugs projected from each of said members, the lugs of the lower member being of integral formation.

6. In a fulcrum for brake-beams, the combination of a brake-beam, a fulcrum therefor composed of spaced members, means for securing said members to opposite sides of the brake-beam, a jaw carried by each member, and a plurality of pivot-lugs projected from the jaw of each member.

7. In a fulcrum for brake-beams, the combination of a brake-beam therefor composed of spaced members, each of said members consisting of plates, a jaw formed with the plate of each member, a plurality of oppositely-inclined pivot-lugs projected from each jaw aforesaid, and means for securing the spaced members of the fulcrum together at opposite sides of the jaws thereof.

8. In a fulcrum for brake-b \ams, the combination of a brake-beam, a fulcrum therefor composed of spaced members, each of said members consisting of plates, a jaw formed with. the plate of each mmnber, a plurality of oppositely-inclined pivot-lugs projected from each jaw aforesaid, and means for securing the spaced members of the fulcrum together at opposite sides of the jaws thereof, the jaws of said spaced members interlocking with one another.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

R. S. FITZPATRIOK, S. VVELCH. 

